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Halo: Fractures - Extraordinary Tales from the Halo Canon
|Length = 421 pages |ISBN = 978-1-5011-4067-9 |US Price = $16.00 |Can Price = |UK Price = |Amazon = |Availability= |Product Dimensions = |Product Dimensions Metric = |Shipping Weight = }} Halo: Fractures - Extraordinary Tales from the Halo Canon is an anthology containing several short stories set in the ''Halo'' universe. Content Lessons Learned What Remains Breaking Strain Promises to Keep Shadow of Intent A Covenant remnant group stand in a bunker, consisting of two San'Shyuum prelates; two Jiralhanae and a number of Yanme'e. The atmosphere it tense for one prelate, Tem'Bhetek, who is offended by his Jiralhanae guards' odious fear pheromones and Yanme'e singing. Boru'a'Neem, the Minister of Preparation, approaches, and the two look at a holographic security display of three Sangheili warriors they had captured. The three are naked and tied up, with their leg tendons slashed to keep them down. The San'Syuum observe them defiantly singing, the leader's idea to calm their nerves. Tem regrets not slitting their throats, but restrains himself from orders, as they are test subjects. They prepare a Forerunner weapon, a miniature prototype of the Halo Array's weapon. No longer of religious significance, Tem and Boru only consider it for it military capabilities, and fire it at the Sangheili. Within the test chamber, the three simply disappear, without any remains surviving. As they enter the chamber to investigate, Tem has difficulty explaining to the devout guards the Sangheili did not go on the Great Journey. The prototype is damaged in the test, which the group finds difficult to repair given the Yanme'e team's unfamiliarity with Forerunner repairs (that being a Huragok duty). Boru regrets that the prototype was only discovered after the Halo Array went into standby mode in late 2552, as it prevented him from bringing useful tools from High Charity. He apologises if he aggravated Tem, who was on High Charity with him when the Great Schism began, the two barely escaping. Boru and Tem wish to use the prototype on the Sangheili military commander Rtas 'Vadum as revenge. 'Vadum rides on a Phantom above the Sangheili colony world, Rahnelo. Their lightly-defended world has been attacked, leaving one of their cities in ruins. One of 'Vadum's comrades, an elderly Blademaster named Vul 'Soran, declares it to be a cowardly attack by the Jiralhanae after finding the body of a ninety-year old civilian. The similarly-aged 'Soran seeks to avenge the colonists through a personal confrontation with the Jiralhanae Chieftain, though 'Vadum believes he is too old to succeed. 'Vadum is approached by a group of colonists riding Du'naks; the female leader chastises him for arriving with help two days after the battle. Her younger brother is largely unfamiliar with the Jiralhanae, but develops a hatred when discovering the body, who his sister identifies as Gold 'Rham. 'Vadum and 'Soran help place 'Rham's body on a sled carrying other bodies back to the Keep. The female reveals herself as Tul 'Juran, daughter of the colony's former Kaidon, Tulum 'Juranai. With her father having perished in the attack which claimed a number of elders, 'Juran reveals that the new Kaidon for the past three days has been her younger brother despite being less than ten years of age. As 'Vadum and 'Soran receive information as to the attack from the new Kaidon, they realise that it was coordinated by a Prelate. With advanced technology no doubt possessed by this Prelate, 'Vadum reasons the only reason any Sangheili survived the attack was because the Prelate wanted to take prisoners. Hearing her father may still be alive, Tul 'Juran asks 'Vadum to be allowed in his crew so she can enact the Right of Release and restore his honour. 'Soran is disgusted by the idea of a female serving on the ship, which would go against ancient military tradition; 'Vadum is more accepting, and notes a veteran Unggoy leading a group of Rangers as a sign of changing times. 'Vadum's crew stay at Rahnelo to assist in the clearing of Jiralhanae corpses, which were to be buried to suffer the indignity of being walked over rather than burnt in a funeral pyre. The Shadow of Intent's crew return to their assault carrier. Only two hundred strong, the assault carrier has been left almost dangerously undermanned due to the fragmented nature of the Sangheili military who are close to civil war. The only operational assault carrier left, the Arbiter had ordered it away from Sanghelios to keep it from being captured. Only two Phantoms make up the ship's vehicular complement now, everything else having been abandoned due to maintenance costs. Though 'Soran is confident their ship can destroy Tem's, 'Vadum is concerned Tem's skills could win out. 'Vadum visits Stolt, the sole Unggoy on the ship. Stolt had joined the crew during the Human-Covenant War as a Ranger, an uncommon specialist branch within the Covenant military. He had become their unit's leader in recognition for an uncharacteristically successful career which culminated in injuring a SPARTAN-II. As an experienced soldier with nontraditional tactical knowledge, 'Vadum asks for Stolt's advice. Stolt believes the crew can defeat Tem, but only if they find help. Back on his ship, Tem dreams of his wife, Yalar'Otan'Elat and their new child, who's sex and name he was never told while away in order to keep it a surprise. In the dream, their happy life is destroyed by the arrival of the Flood. Yalar accuses Tem of betraying her for not coming to her rescue, and then turns into a Flood form and is hacked to death by Sangheili warriors. Tem rescues their child, but the two are killed when the Shadow of Intent glasses the Holy City rather than saving anyone. Tem wakes from his nightmare. Having always woken up after Yalar's transformation, the rest had been new to him. In real life, Tem was leading a Jiralhanae ship during the Great Schism and, returning to High Charity to rescue Boru, was forced back into their ship by Honour Guards before he had a chance to rescue Yalar. Due to the Shadow of Intent ordering all Sangheili ships to destroy any craft leaving High Charity, military or civilian alike to prevent the Flood spreading, Yalar blames all Sangheili for his family's deaths, as they had absolutely no chance of escaping. Tem's ship exits slipspace over the Sangheili colony Duraan. Tem orders that radio signals not be jammed so that 'Vadum can hear screams for help in the next attack. The Ballad of Hamish Beamish Defender of the Storm A Necessary Truth Into the Fire Saint's Testimony Rossbach's World Oasis Anarosa Sources ru:Halo:_Трещины es:Halo: Fractures Category:Anthologies Category:2016 Category:Canonical Media Category:Halo: Fractures